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Thanks for posting that.
The article says it would be at the same cost and time of an Xray - hopefully insurance would cover it. I worry so much about my daughter's xray exposure since she is so young and has SOOO many years of xrays ahead of her. I wonder how open minded doctors will be towards accepting it and/or if they will think it is as good a measure?

daughter, 12, diagnosed 8/07 with 19T/13L
-Braced in spinecor 10/07 - 8/12 with excellent in brace correction and stable/slightly decreased out of brace curves.
-Introduced Providence brace as adjunct at night in 11/2011 in anticipation of growth spurt. Curves still stable.
-Currently in Boston Brace. Growth spurt is here and curves (and rotation) have increased to 23T/17L

Re: X-ray exposure
Esme was telling us about the x-ray machine at St. Justine's yesterday and how it is different from the one at CHEO in Ottawa. The x-ray machine at St. Justine's emits much less radiation than the usual x-ray equipment. This is a link to an article about it.

Ruth, 50 years old (s-shaped 30 degree scoliosis) with degenerative disc disease, married to Mike. Mother to two children - Son 18 and daughter 14. Both have idiopathic scoliosis. Son (T38, L29) has not needed surgery to date. Daughter (March 08 - T62, L63).

Yes, I am so glad that is the case (although by the time we made it to Montreal , Katie had already had boatloads of Xrays -in my opinion). It isn't yet FDA approved so it hasn't made it into the US (or at least it wasn't FDA approved when I last looked into it a few weeks ago). I haven't seen it in writing but somebody there told me it was 1/10th the exposure, I believe? At montreal they use the "better" machine for the standing xrays but still have to use the traditional xray when they take the laying down xrays. How often do they get the lying down xrays, I wonder? Is that only on the first visit and never again? I was telling my husband that even if my daughter wasn't being treated in Montreal I'd still want to drive up there for the xrays!!!! (not that it would be an option, I'd guess)

Last edited by jillw; 11-29-2007 at 04:05 PM.

daughter, 12, diagnosed 8/07 with 19T/13L
-Braced in spinecor 10/07 - 8/12 with excellent in brace correction and stable/slightly decreased out of brace curves.
-Introduced Providence brace as adjunct at night in 11/2011 in anticipation of growth spurt. Curves still stable.
-Currently in Boston Brace. Growth spurt is here and curves (and rotation) have increased to 23T/17L

I don't know if Esme had a lying down x-ray in Montreal - I will ask her.

As far as I know she only had lying down x-rays when she was in her Charleston brace. These were taken at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Ruth

Ruth, 50 years old (s-shaped 30 degree scoliosis) with degenerative disc disease, married to Mike. Mother to two children - Son 18 and daughter 14. Both have idiopathic scoliosis. Son (T38, L29) has not needed surgery to date. Daughter (March 08 - T62, L63).

This device was cleared by the FDA for use in the US back on September 18, 2007

These machines are finally making their way into the US - my daughter had an xray in one this afternoon - incredibly clear images. The machine captures an AP and LAT image in a single scan with significantly lower radiation exposure than film machines.

I was wondering where your daughter was scanned...I am confused about whether the EOS is approved for use in the US or not, or how to figure out if there is a site anywhere near us that has one. The press releases I have found on the web talk about it being approved for spine patients 16 and older only.

Does anyone have an opinion if stand up MRI is a better image? I assume it is the same radiation.

Newly diagnosed 14yr son

T55,L42

Funny, you should post about the EOS low-dose x-ray machine. I was at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia about a week ago and I heard about it. Of all the Shriners Hospitals, currently only one has EOS (I believe the one in Portland); and Philly is about halfway to raising the $700,000+ needed to purchase this machine. They hope to have one by the end of 2013!!

My understanding is that it will provide the same quality (or better) image as traditional x-rays but with nearly 10 times less radiation exposure.

In terms of fundraising, I was told that when donations are made, let's say to Shriners Hospital in Philly, they go towards the operating expenses of the hospital which are huge, as you can imagine. However, if someone designates that a donation go towards the EOS machine, then it will be so earmarked. If I learn more about how close they are to reaching their goal, I will update everyone.

Eos

St Justines Hospital in Montreal has had one for years. My daughter was fortunate enough to have had at least 6 x rays in it. The quality is much better than w/ traditional machines & radiation is MUCH less.

Maria, Thanks for the update on the status of the EOS machine at Shriners Philly. I was wondering how much $ they had raised for the machine so far. Time for another "Shriners donation in lieu of gifts" birthday party in our house! (but this time earmarked for the EOS machine specifically). : )

Christine, good to see you. Agree that image quality is good. Katie was fortunate to have a good 9 or 10 of her xrays there also - but unfortunately she has had almost as many elsewhere also (and is on a more frequent xray schedule now that she is in the midst of her growth spurt). Can't wait until they get the EOS at Shriners Philly. So many children will benefit from this.

daughter, 12, diagnosed 8/07 with 19T/13L
-Braced in spinecor 10/07 - 8/12 with excellent in brace correction and stable/slightly decreased out of brace curves.
-Introduced Providence brace as adjunct at night in 11/2011 in anticipation of growth spurt. Curves still stable.
-Currently in Boston Brace. Growth spurt is here and curves (and rotation) have increased to 23T/17L

Maria, Thanks for the update on the status of the EOS machine at Shriners Philly. I was wondering how much $ they had raised for the machine so far. Time for another "Shriners donation in lieu of gifts" birthday party in our house! (but this time earmarked for the EOS machine specifically). : )

Awesome, Jill!

I will also be working with some local Shriner friends (one of whom is on the Board in Philly) on a fundraiser in the coming months, with all of the money raised to go towards the EOS machine!